College IS Attainable

Hello World! My name is Lauren Jordan and I am a second year Mentor Michigan College Coaching Corps AmeriCorps member serving at the University of Michigan’s Center for Educational Outreach (CEO). The CEO is based in Ann Arbor but provides outreach programs for K-12 youth all over the state of Michigan from Saginaw to Monroe, Benton Harbor to Detroit.  The mission of the CEO is to engage with communities across and apply the scholarly resources of the University of Michigan to promote academic excellence at the pre-college level, encourage students to value higher education, stimulate college participation and success rates, and attract a well-prepared diverse student body to the University of Michigan. 

I help to coordinate three of the ten signature programs that CEO has to offer: College Corps, Wolverine Express, and College 101 which occurs during the summer. I also am in charge of undergraduate student recruitment, hiring, and training for all 10 programs.Each program has its own specific aim but is all encompassing of the mission of CEO. College Corps is a year-long program which aims to provide 9th and 10th grade students with resources that will equip them to succeed in the college going process. My focus is creating engaging and informational lesson plans for undergraduate students to teach on a weekly basis throughout the school year. These lessons address one of the main barriers of getting into college, financial aid, as well as other essential lessons such as finding the right college and discovering one’s learning style. 

The students in this program end the academic year with a campus visit to the University of Michigan. For many of our students, this is the first time they have ever stepped foot on a college campus, so we aim to make it very special for them. Events of the day always consist of a campus tour. Other activities range from seeing a skit from undergraduates involved in the Real on College Theatre Troupe, a student panel, college jeopardy, and a myriad of other experiences to reinforce the lessons learned throughout the year about the importance of college. 

This program proves to be meaningful not only for high school students but the undergraduate student leaders as well. Throughout the year, they form a mentor-mentee relationship with the students and can see how much of an impact they have had on the students in such a short amount of time. Students look up to them and many times continue to ask them questions about college even after the program ends. Our undergrad student leaders are able to see the true meaning of “paying it forward” and being a role model for those whose footsteps they were in just a few years prior. 

Wolverine Express is a school visitation program in which a diverse group of U-M faculty, staff, and students assemble as a team and travel to select high schools located across the state of Michigan. While at the high schools, faculty, staff, and students participate in presentations designed to promote academic success and college aspiration. Some of the schools who have been a part of Wolverine Express this year include Monroe High School, Pontiac High School, Osborn High School, and Detroit School of Arts. Each visit is unique in its planning and strategic about the placement of presenters into the classroom. After the compelling presentations, the average 500+ students we see are buzzing with college knowledge and an itch to excel. 

College 101 is a three-day residential summer program that introduces rising 10th grade students to higher education through a series of unique experiences on the U-M campus. College 101 prepares students for college while facilitating exposure to academic disciplines and career options, as well as special opportunities available to college students such as study abroad, athletics and leadership development. Interested high school students must submit an application and be selected to attend the program which is at no cost to them. As an AmeriCorps member, one of my favorite parts of the year is reading the applications from young aspiring college-bound students. They are very eager to learn the ins and outs of college as well as what it is like to live on campus. 

Undergraduate student leaders are a huge part of the College 101 program and get to know the high schoolers very well throughout the three days they are together. With days lasting from 7:00 a.m. to midnight, it definitely takes a lot of energy and tenacity to give students an all-encompassing example of a day in the life of college students. Students leave with a deeper understanding of what a college student’s schedule includes. They are aware that with freedom comes great responsibility; they understand that college is hard work but the outcome is well worth it; and most of all, they know that college is an attainable goal for them.  

Another responsibility I have in my AmeriCorps role is to recruit, hire, and train student leaders to work with the CEO. As a recent Michigan Alum, it was fairly easy for me to reach out to educationally or philanthropic- based student organizations. Once hired, finding meaningful training topics for students who have an array of skills in their repertoire was a challenge that I welcomed. This allowed me to build partnerships with departments on campus, some of which I was unaware of as a student. By sharing my resources and connections, I have been able to aid as a mentor to current U-M students as they serve the youth in our community. I have talked to many students about post-graduate plans, class schedules, and everyday stressors of being a college student. For me, it is important to remember that with all of the great outreach work our students accomplish in the community, they are still students, and they still need advising.  

As I end my second year of service, I look back on students I knew as freshman and realize they have blossomed into upperclassmen. Before this experience, I knew what a profound impact having a mentor made on someone’s life, but now I see the impact being a mentor has had on my life. I have learned much about myself both professionally and personally and I would not  change this experience for anything. It has been the great support of the staff at my host site and MMCCC that I was able to mentor and train undergraduate students which in turn are able to mentor the youth of the community. It is this cycle that produces a strong community and takes responsibility for all of its members.